Macoha officials prevent disabled man from meeting Minister Kachere

John Kafodya, a physically challenged businessman left Malawi Council for the Handicapped (Macoha) a bitter person and cursing officials when they prevented him from meeting Minister of Persons with Disabilities and the Elderly Reen Kachere during her visit to the place.

Kachere recently visited Macoha headquarters in Limbe to announce a K10 million donation from President Joyce Banda for the rehabilitation of the Macoha Bangwe Weaving Factory.

Kafodya was aware of the visit and perched himself on his wheel chair at the entrance waiting for the minister to present his concerns which included “ill treatment to him” by top Macoha officials.

He spent over four hours at the entrance waiting but Kachere proceeded to Bangwe Weaving Factory where she toured the premises and conducted a symbolic presentation of the donation.

Kafodya: Dissapointed

As this was happening Kafodya was still sitting in the wheel chair hoping that the minister would see him on her way back but it was in vain.

Prior to the arrival of the minister, Kafodya said he wanted to meet her and express his worry as to why management removed his name from the list of beneficiaries of fertilizer donated by the President during her visit to the weaving factory.

“When the President visited the factory last week, I was put in the front row because of my decent dressing since many disabled persons do not dress smartly. The President said every disabled person who was present at the function should be given a bag of fertilizer which she had donated,” he told Nyasa Times.

“There were 105 people in total. But later I was shocked when the executive director told me that I could not receive the fertilizer. I was not told the reason. What I saw was that other members of staff who were not even at the ceremony were later included in the list and given the fertilizer.

“I protested against that and I accused the management of using me to save their face when they put me in the front line during the President’s visit. I want my fertilizer. I want to tell the minister about this treatment I received from Macoha. The officials challenged me even to report this to the media. They said they did not care,” said the irate Kafodya.

But one of the top officials at Macoha said the fertilizer from the President was for members of staff at the weaving factory and Macoha office.

The official described Kafodya as “the usual trouble maker” who had taken lots of loans from Macoha but has not paid anything back.

“We are used to this man. That is typical of him. He always wants to cause problems. We are tired of him. He has been getting loans over the past nine years and he is failing to sustain himself. He has a problem. He said he wanted to meet the minister but we have diverted the minister,” the official said.

Macoha spokesperson Sylvia Thawani refused to comment on Kafodya behaviour saying she was new at Macoha and needed time to do some homework.

Kafodya, who sells used tyres at Wenela in Blantyre, left Macoha late in the evening.